you can exhale now
by daddhopper
Summary: Will Byers was just like everyone other teen in town. He drank too much iced coffee, watched way too many bad 90's movies and loved to hangout at the arcade dreaming of college and blasting fictional monsters. Except he had one huge-ass secret. He was gay. And no one else knew, besides one person. Blue. The mysterious boy Will has been emailing for the last few months.
1. dear blue i'm just like you

authors note: oops this happened. I love simon spier with my whole entire heart and will just screams the same disaster gay energy. also, will deserves happiness so I wanted to write a fic where he gets that. also, is this gonna be byers? or will it some other cute guy? who knows. get ready for a bunch of angst, fluff, romance, drama, and weirdness. please leave some comments/kudos to let me know if I should continue. by the way this chapter is incredibly short but future chapters will be longer. just wanted to introduce will and what's going on :) P.S. this will contain mileven! absolutely no hate on either ship all these characters deserve love! I just really want to explore both dynamics because ALL!THESE!CHARACTERS!DESERVE!LOVE! anyways, hope you like this first chapter! most of the story will follow the movie/book but I promise it will be different. also you don't have to read the book or watch the movie to understand/follow this but there will be references P.S.S. I was going to change will's alias to volonté because it translates to 'will' in french but i feel like jacques works better,,,also it might be a major plot point

* * *

Will didn't even notice he was being blackmailed. The subtleness of it took him by complete and utter surprise. If Troy freaking Harrington didn't repeat what he just said moments ago Will would of never realized it.

"What do you mean you took screenshots?"

Troy shrugged as if taking screenshots of someone's secret email account wasn't wrong. It was beyond messed up to even read an emails that didn't belong to you and here Troy was, threatening to release the emails for some god forsaken reason. Why else would he take screenshots of them?

Instead of answering Will's previous question Troy deflects it. "I thought it might interest you to know that my brother's gay."

"Um." Will blinks in confusion, struggling to think of an appropriate response that won't result in a) Troy outing him and by default Blue to the whole entire school or b) Troy punching him in this face. "No, not really."

That was obviously the wrong way to reply because the look Troy had on his face was leaning toward option B. It's not like Will had anything against Steve. He was a pretty cool guy but just because he was gay (or bi or pan or whatever label he wants to use) didn't mean Will was interested. Besides, he was pretty sure there was something going on between the the older Harrington and Will's older brother. And perhaps Mike's older sister. Will didn't really understand what that was all about. It was none of his business.

Just like the emails was none of Troy's business. Will let out a soft sigh. He was secretly glad and terrified that he no one else was around. Glad because no one could hear what was going on. Terrified because no one else could hear what was going on which meant he was definitely about to get blackmailed or punched. All he wanted to do was to stop by the vending machines for something to drink before his AV club meeting. Now Will doubts he'll even make it to the meeting.

"What are you trying to say?"

"Nothing. I don't have a problem with it. It's just not that big of a deal. Unless…" Troy trailed off, a small smirk on his face. Unless what? If he didn't bow down to whatever sick and twisted thing Troy wanted the emails will be leaked? The other boy to say it for it to become clear.

On one hand, if Will was outed by Troy it wouldn't be so bad. Awkward, sure. One giant holy box of awkward that he would have to deal with until he graduates next year but he could deal with it. Maybe. But Blue? Will had no idea how Blue would react. The thing about Blue was that he was an incredibly private person, more private that Will himself, so their secret (and not so platonic) emails being released to the whole town of Hawkin's, Indiana would be a fucking disaster.

A few months ago there was this post on Hawkin's Tumblr confession blog where someone admitted to being gay and left their email. Will was only planning on writing one email to this mysterious user before deleting his account. He just wanted to say it one time. Dear Blue. I'm just like you. Except I have one huge ass secret: I'm gay. However that one email turned into two, which turned into months of constant contact via emails. Will still had no idea who Blue really was but in a way it didn't really matter. It was nice having someone to share your deepest fears with. Which also meant that Will highly doubted that Blue would like these emails publicized. They didn't just include fears, they included weird obsessions and embarrassing stories from middle school. Even a few instances of shameless (and borderline sickening) flirting. Yeah, Will could not let these emails get out.

"Unless what?"

"Unless," Troy started, "you set me up with your sister. You're close with her right? Eleanor?"

Jesus christ. Eleanor. His stepsister, who was most definitely in a committed relationship with Mike Wheeler. The same Mike that has been friends with Will since kindergarten. It was the same Mike who Will had a massive crush on. It was a crush that Will wished he could say was no longer truly active. He was truly a horrible person before, quietly harboring a crush about his goddamn step sister's boyfriend was bad but actually thinking about plotting to rip them apart and push her together with Troy of all people was absolutely despicable.

"I don't have a choice in this do I?"

Troy shrugged. "Not really. Unless you want these emails leaked. But I don't see what the big deal is. It's not like anyone will care. People would probably be cool about it."

Oh joy. Will was getting coached by a straight dude on how to come out. The same kid who used to push Will around and call him gay slurs when they were in middle school. How the tables have turned. Everyone will be cool about it? What the actual hell. Will had to roll his eyes at that.

Betraying the people he cared about was wrong but Will was going to do it. Or at least try to. He had to, right? For Blue. It was his only choice.

* * *

To: bluegreen118  
From: frommywindow1  
Subject: hey  
Dear Blue, I'm just like you. For the most part my life is totally normal. I have a step sister and brother that I actually like, not that I'll actually tell them that. Last year she decided she wanted to try out for cheerleading and now her popularity has skyrocketed so I don't really want her ego to get any bigger than it already is. And then there's my friends. Three of them I've pretty much known since kindergarten. One of them I met a few months ago but it feels like I've known her forever. We do everything friends do, we drink way too much iced coffee, we watch bad 90's movies and hangout at the arcade dreaming of college and blasting fictional monsters. So, like I said. I'm just like you. I have a totally perfect and normal life. Except I have one huge-ass secret.

Jacques

To: frommywindown1  
From: bluegreen118

A secret huh? Is it the same as mine? If it is when did you know? And have you told anybody yet?

Blue


	2. screwed in every definition of the word

heyo! here's chapter two! kind of worried about this fic because i'm afraid i'm writing the Party wrong. anyways, thanks for the comments/kudos! i'm super excited to continue this! i'm trying to figure out an update schedule so let me know if you guys have any suggestions (once a week, two, what day of the week, etc). that season 3 trailer has me HYPED but also afraid. they better not torture will in s3 or they can catch all these hands

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Will never did make it the AV club meeting. Right after Troy left he bolted for the bathroom and promptly hid there until way after the rest of the Party left. It's not like he was planning on avoiding them forever, in fact he was currently standing at the top of Mike Wheeler's basement steps. He needed a few hours to somehow craft a plan on how to get El to date Troy and how to subtly hint to Blue what was going on without scaring him away.

As he stood at the top of the steps he could hear the loud arguing of Dustin Henderson and Lucas Sinclair, along with the occasional interjected from Max Mayfield. However the solid five minutes Will stood there rooted in his spot he didn't hear a peep from Mike and El. Which meant they were probably sucking face. They were definitely that couple that went overboard with PDA. Not that Will was jealous. Well, he was. Slightly because of his crush on Mike and also slightly because they didn't have hide who they love.

After another minute of stalling Will finally decided to walk down the steps. He could do this, right? How hard could it possibly be? He was halfway down the steps when he got the answer to that question.

Absolutely impossible. Mike and El were not sucking face like Will previous thought but what they were currently doing was way more intimate. Mike was sitting on the couch with El's head laying on a pillow in his lap. She was clutching her copy of Anne of Green Gables in one of her hands and a half eaten eggo in the other. Mike on the other hand was completely enthralled with the brunette, despite the fact that what she was doing was mundane. He looked at her as if she hung the goddamn moon. For christ sakes he was even playing with her hair with a dopey smile on his face. Yeah, Will was screwed. In every definition of the word.

Will opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Dustin. "Dude? Where were you? You missed an important club meeting!"

Max snorted. "What's so important about an AV club meeting anyways? Let's be honest all you guys do in that club is fantasize about Princess Leia or some other nerdy shit."

Or in Will's case, Han Solo.

She was leaning against the table in front of the couch with her chemistry textbook in her lap while Lucas and Dustin sat at the way to small D&D table. In middle School the Party played the game almost religiously but than high school started. They traded Dungeons and Dragons for the arcade but they still played it when they were feeling especially nostalgic. However, that was not what Lucas and Dustin was playing. From where Will stood it looked like a card game of some sort.

"Hey!" Dustin whined, "AV club is important! We do way more than fantasize about Princess Leia we also-"

Lucas kicked Dustin under the table, which Will knew because of the loud 'ow' the curly haired Bard let out, promptly cutting him off. "What the fuck, Dustin! What happens in AV club stays in AV club. You know that."

"Well, she asked!"

"She asked." Lucas mocked back. Despite all the tension in Will he still manage a smile. Max let out a loud laugh, mumbling something about how 'she knew that's what those idiots really did.'

For the first time since Will's been in the basement (or at the top of the steps) Mike spoke.

"Both of you shut the hell up!" Mike snapped, leaning over El to grab a throw pillow before chucking it over to the arguing teens. Once he realized he missed his mark but a long shot he sighed and looked at Will. "You didn't miss anything, Will. We just fixed up a few things for the principal. Is everything okay with you?"

Dear God, this wasn't fair. Mike was tall, sweet, funny (in like his own awkward way), and probably had the softest hair that Will would love to run his hands through. Not that he ever spent his whole entire statistic class daydreaming about Mike Wheeler's hair. That would be weird. Besides, he was obviously straight. Completely heterosexual. He was also dating Will's step sister so if he did daydream about Mike's hair it would be wrong.

"Uh," Will froze attempting to think of a lie. Once he realized that couldn't come up with a believable answer he decided to tell a half truth. "I had a headache." That was true. Talking to Troy did give Will a massive headache. Not technically a lie.

Will also decided now would be the perfect time take a seat at the other end of the couch El was laying on before he draws anymore attention to himself. But he should of seen it coming that the Mage of the group wouldn't believe his half-assed lie.

"Bullshit. That's a lie and friends don't lie." El mumbled, not even bothering to look up from her book. The thing about El was that she was brutally honest and didn't like to beat around the bush. She also didn't tolerate people who lied (unless there was a good reason for it or you know, she was the one doing it).

"I'm not lying. Why would I ever lie? I do have a headache. I swear." Okay, that was too much.

Thankfully Max decided to speak before El could. "Yeah, why would he lie about missing club meeting. It's not like it's that important. Besides even if he was lying who cares? Me and El are the only badass and rebellious ones in this group. If the kid wants to skip I say let him, god knows none of you other nerds ever will."

"Hey!" Dustin, Lucas, and Mike yelled taking offense to the statement. Will didn't bother to say anything because he knew it was true. El and Max were obviously the cool ones in the group. Skipping class, smoking cigarettes, getting multiple piercings in places Will didn't even think was possible. The only rebellious thing the guys has ever done was sneak out and it's not like it was for something scandalous.

"Oh, come on it's the tru-" Max began but was cut off my El nudging her with her foot before the argument could escalate.

"All of you stop. He isn't rebelling. He didn't show up to the club meeting because of Troy freaking Harrington."

This got everyone's attention. Especially Mike's. He leaned up (as much as he could with El still halfway on his lap) with an angry glint in his eye. "What did he say?"

Will gaped at Mike. At El. At everyone in the room. Did that mean she heard everything that was said? Did she know about the blackmail?

So like the idiot Will was he acted like he had no clue what she was talking about. "Oh. Oh. Troy. Yeah. Nothing. I completely forgot about that. How did you find out?"

What if someone else heard and told El? She might be dating and best friends with the people with the lowest social rank at the school but that didn't mean she went through the same treatment. Not to make it seem like his own step sister was this evil mastermind but she probably had eyes and ears everywhere.

El narrowed her eyes in both annoyance and confusion. This time she did discard her book and sat up so she was no longer on Mike which meant she was serious. She wasn't going to let this no matter what. The question is why she wouldn't let it go. "I got out of cheer practice early so I was on my way to the AV room to hang out with the guys. On my way there I saw you and Troy. And then I saw you walk away on the verge of tears."

But did she hear what they said? That's what he really wanted to know.

"And?" Mike spoke up, still looking on edge. Will tried to tell himself that this was just a Mike thing to do and that he would do it for anyone he cared about. This is what friends did. But why didn't Dustin or Lucas looked as pissed off?

"And." El drawled the world out, flickering her eyes to Mike's hunched over form before locking eyes with Will, almost daring him to lie again. "And when I cornered him in the hallway about it he told me I should ask you. That it's your secret to tell."

Will's plan was to sit there for a few moments thinking out a solid answer that would cover his ass and also something El would believe but unfortunately that didn't happen because he proceeded to word vomit the worst freaking lie in the history of lies. "Um, Troy...wanted to apologise! Yeah, that's what he did. For being mean all those years. Apparently it's apart of his...new years resolution or something. He's trying to be a better person-"

"Better person?" Max interjected, chuckling slightly.

"New year's resolution?" Dustin questioned.

"Isn't it October? Why is he suddenly want to change now?" Lucas asked.

"-and I don't want to graduate with all this hate inside me-"

The more Will rambled the more Mike seemed to relax. Incredibly confused rather than pissed was better. "We still have two years-"

"and I just think I should be the better person you know? We all have our stuff going on so maybe I should give him a chance. I...was crying because I'm an...emotional person and was surprised he wanted to make amends. So yeah. I don't like, forgive him or anything but we've all been in a bad place. I'm supposed to the Cleric right? Isn't that what I'm supposed to do? Heal? Maybe I can help Troy heal."

Mentioning D&D helped get Mike and the rest of the Party to believe his lie but El was still a bit skeptical. But not so skeptical to where she would keep questioning it. So Will allowed himself to relax as everyone continued with their previous activities. Well, some of them did.

Max got up a few seconds after Will's speech to smack both Lucas and Dustin heads after they made a particular distasteful comment the different ways Troy probably fantasized Will to heal him while Mike went upstairs to get more snacks.

Will was halfway listening to the guys slash Max arguing and was debating on speaking up when he felt El throw the same pillow she was laying on earlier in Will's lap. She left out a soft sigh as she laid in similar fashion as she did minus the Eggo and book. Instead she just laid there and Will just sat there in silence (or as much silence as they could get). It wasn't awkward but comfortable. One that both Byer's-Hopper teens love. Usually this meant that neither was in the mood of talking and just wanted to be alone but also not alone. But it was turning out to be a very abnormal day so he wasn't that surprised when El spoke.

"Hey. You know you can tell me the truth right?" El whispered, making sure that even if the guys and Max stopped arguing she wouldn't be heard.

The truth is that Will did want to tell El. He knew she wouldn't hate him for being gay or anything like that. He just didn't want anything to change. Hell, one morning he styled his hair in a different way and everyone almost had an heart attack. But Will guessed it was partially his fault. That's what he gets for never changing, even the smallest aspects in his life.

El would be cool with it but she wouldn't be cool with it if she found out he was planning on doing. So, Will gave her another half-assed lie. "Yeah, Ellie. I know. But I'm fine. Also...uh... we're uh partners for this history project so I guess he just wanted to put everything behind us."

"Oh." El whispered, but more to herself. She was trying to process this new development. Will just hoped she wouldn't ask anymore questions. He did have a history project due but Troy was not his partner. Thankfully no one else in the Party was in his class. After a few moments of consideration El nodded, plastering a small smile on her face. "Okay. You could of just told us that instead of some bullshit lie. I know he said something to you."

Will could faintly hear Mike yell something from the top of the stairs so he knew he had to do this fast. "He did. Which is why I wanted to see if you'll...tag along with me? He's considerably nicer when you're around."

"Like a buffer?"

"Exactly."

"Okay." El shrugged. "Deal. As long as he doesn't try to make any moves on me."

Will snorted before he could control himself. Oh, the irony of this situation just keeps on getting better and better. Or worse. Will was pretty sure this whole thing would be the death of him.


End file.
